Camp appeal may be heard in August

A public appeal hearing before the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on the Salvation Army’s proposed camp expansion is tentatively scheduled for August, said Gig Conaughton, public affairs officer with the county Department of Planning and Land Use (DPLU).

One of the three appeals filed after the county planning commission approved the expansion project was rejected.

The Mussey Grade Road Alliance, the McGuire Family Trust, and the Ramona Community Planning Group (RCPG) all filed appeals in opposition to the commission’s decision to approve a major use permit modification for Salvation Army’s Wildwood Ranch on Mussey Grade Road in Ramona. The RCPG’s appeal, however, was rejected due to procedures that were not followed in accordance with Board Policy I-1, according to information provided by the DPLU.

A letter sent to RCPG Chair Chris Anderson and Secretary Kristi Mansolf from David Sibbett, a planner with DPLU, said the board policy states that, if a group meeting is not scheduled before the end of the appeal period, the group may file the appeal if so directed by a majority of the group’s membership.

The decision to appeal, though, must be confirmed by a majority at the group’s next meeting.

The county commission approved the project on March 19. Sibbett noted that at RCPG’s next meeting, on April 1, authorization to file an appeal was not on the agenda and no vote took place; therefore, the appeal was not valid.

Regardless, a hearing will be held due to the other two appeals, and anyone from the public may speak at the hearing, said Conaughton.

“The RCPG will have a full opportunity to comment on the project and participate in the appeal hearing before the board,” Sibbett wrote in the letter. “The issues identified on the appeal form, and any other issues raised by the RCPG, can be presented for the board’s consideration.”